Common to all prior art electromagnetic motor means or systems is an electromagnetic circuit consisting of an exciting coil, armature and magnetic flux return. After the exciting current has been applied to the coil, the armature is moved into an end position counter to the force of one or more springs. To obtain a sufficiently short pull-in or pull-up process, the spring force must be only a fraction of the pull-in or pull-up force of the magnet system. Yet, toward the end of the pull-in process the excess force of the magnet is generally not sufficient to prevent rebounce of the armature. The bounce is stronger as the excess of the magnetic force over the spring force is smaller.
During the bounce process it is not possible to disconnect the coil current without thereby impairing the reproducibility of the actuation process. If the coil current is disconnected before termination of the bounce process different movement conditions of the armature result, depending on whether at the time of disconnection the armature is moving counter to or in the reset direction.
As the coil current is being terminated, the reset movement is delayed by eddy currents in the magnetic circuit and by damping (attenuation) of the coil. The armature movement begins as soon as the spring force exceeds the induction force caused by eddy currents and damping and the remanent magnetic force.
To obtain a short reset delay, it is customary, in the prior art, to provide a residual air gap, which, however, increases the holding current requirement and hence the energy consumption of the electromagnet. Short reset delay times are achieved only with high spring forces, which, however, reduce the excess of the magnetic force and hence increase the chatter or bounce.
Accordingly, the invention as herein disclosed and described is primarily directed to the solution of the aforestated problems and other related and attendant problems of the prior art.